Rotorua Canopy Tours

It was just off freezing when we set off at 9am for our canopy tour. But the sky was absolutely clear it was such an adventure that no one seemed to mind. They had plenty of spare jackets, beanies and gloves anyway. We were all rigged up in harnesses before we left the base and piled in to the van. Our guides Shane and Abby were fantastic about introductions and broke the ice amongst all of us in a friendly and genuine way.

On the 15 minute drive up into the bush, our education began – it’s clear that they are conservationists with a love of zip lining, rather than the other way around – the environment is the number one priority. We were entering virgin bush – despite its close proximity to the city, it has never been milled.

The unusual thing about this bush however, is that it is almost silent. The birdlife has been badly affectedly by introduced pests (possums, stoats and rats), but a huge restoration project is underway to eradicate pests and provide a safe environment for native birds.

Having said that, only a few minutes into our walk, we stopped and were greeted by a very bold little North Island Robin, a gorgeous and very territorial bird. He sat and watched us, seemingly happily, as we heard to rules of the bush. The guides walk at a good pace and we sounded a bit like a chain gang with our carabinas clinking. They did warn us about loose tree roots etc, but the track was easy underfoot and throughout the entire three hour trip, the walk was only just over a kilometre.

Soon it was time for our first zip-line ride. The safety rules are easy to follow and both guides checked and doubled checked the equipment before each person rode. If you love a flying fox, then zip-lining is just the grown up version, without the hard landing. There were a couple of people in the group who were unsure of how they felt about heights, but they all had a fantastic time, with virtually no nerves.

By the time the first ride was over (about 45 metres to start with, with the longest ride at 220 metres), there were no more nerves. The highlight was just before the longest line, when we found ourselves up a 1000 year old rimu tree, looking out over the valley. Breathtaking didn’t begin to cover it.

We stopped to check out the trap programme that is run in the forest (a special venture that the guides are heavily involved in) and learn more about the introduced mammals terrorising our native birds. Along came another cheeky little North Island Robin, who some of us were lucky enough to hand feed (they love worms). 

By the time we got to the last few rides, there was time for a few laughs and the odd prank. Shane encouraged us all to try the last line upside down, and everyone had a go.

It was an exhilarating morning. I loved the added dimension of conservation education, along with such a brilliant experience. I cannot speak highly enough of the guides, their manner and knowledge. The youngest rider they have had is six, and the oldest (in a tweed suit no less) has been 93! 

The Rotorua Canopy Tour is a truly memorable experience for the whole family. For more information, click on canopy tours or conservation efforts.

GrownUps was a very grateful guest of Rotorua Canopy Tours